The Ministry of Defense deployed a tank regiment in the Rostov region, equipped with the latest ultra-protected tanks. We are talking about modernized T-72B3 combat vehicles. Compared to the standard B-3 tanks, the updated tanks received additional protection for the sides, rear and upper parts of the hull. Thanks to these innovations, the T-72B3 with additional protection (this is the official name given to the vehicle by the Ministry of Defense) will withstand hits from anti-tank missiles, armor-piercing and cumulative shells.
As reported in the Southern Military District, the tanks are entering service with the newly formed 68th Tank Regiment (TP). This military unit became part of the 150th motorized rifle division. In the future, the T-72B3 will enter service with other tank units of the formation.
The formation of a new tank regiment began at the end of last year on the basis of the 205th motorized rifle brigade. And already in June of this year the regiment reached combat readiness. Now the military unit is based in the village of Kadamovsky, Rostov region.
The 68th Tank Regiment is the heir to the legendary 68th Guards Zhitomir-Berlin Red Banner, orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky and Alexander Nevsky regiments. Along with the 1st Guards Tank Regiment of the Taman Division, the 68th TP is one of the most famous and titled tank units of the Soviet and Russian armies.
For the first time, the development of T-72B3 tanks with additional protection in the interests of the Ministry of Defense became known in 2015. The first updated tanks were transferred to the military department at the end of 2016. At the beginning of 2017, amateur photographs of ultra-protected tanks being unloaded in the Rostov region appeared on the Internet.
During the modernization, the combat vehicles, in addition to additional armor, received 1130 hp diesel engines and a modern sighting system. Relic and Contact dynamic armor protects the tank from enemy shells and missiles. These are special charges made from two layers of explosives and a special metal plate. When a cumulative projectile hits a block, the first explosive charge explodes first. It dissipates the cumulative jet. The second layer of explosives pushes an armor plate towards the cumulative jet, which absorbs energy and deflects the projectile. It is noteworthy that there are two such plates in the Relikt blocks.
The problem with all modern tanks is that they trace their origins back to the Cold War, where they had to attack the enemy head-on,” military historian Alexei Khlopotov told Izvestia. “That’s why they have very well developed front protection. In modern military conflicts, the enemy can attack side and rear projections and even from above. Therefore, the T-72B3 received additional protection in all these areas. The sides of the vehicle are covered with Relikt dynamic protection units. Tower - with the Kontakt-5 system. In addition to them, the tank has protective grilles and screens against cumulative ammunition.
According to the expert, in addition to armor protection, the T-72B3 has a number of significant advantages. The tank is equipped with a Sosna-U multi-channel sight and automatic target tracking, which allow for high-precision fire at night and during the day in all weather conditions. And not only with ordinary tank shots, but also with missiles. The latter gives a very significant advantage over Ukrainian and Western tanks. These vehicles do not use guided missiles. And the T-72B3 can meet them with fire from a safe distance of five kilometers.
The 68th Tank Regiment was formed in February 1942 in Stalingrad as the 93rd Separate Tank Brigade. The brigade took part in the battles on the Kursk Bulge, liberating Right Bank Ukraine, as well as Lviv. This is one of the few military units that received the Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 1st degree, for their services. In February 1945, the 93rd Tank Brigade was renamed the 68th Tank Brigade and awarded the title of “Guards”.
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the brigade was reorganized into a regiment, which remained in the group of Soviet troops in Germany. In the early 1990s, 68 TP was withdrawn to Russia and reduced to a storage base. In 2005, the regiment was finally disbanded.
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Formed in August 1943 in Kosterevo. The 8th Mechanized Corps was created on the same principle as the 7th. And here the 116th tank, 66th (formerly 50th) mechanized brigade and all tank regiments had combat experience. Only motorized rifle and support units of the 67th and 68th mechanized brigades were formed again.After spending more than six months in battle as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, the corps was put into reserve and in January 1945 became part of the 2nd Belorussian Front, where it ended the war.
The tanks of the “Soviet Uzbekistan” column were used to complete the corps: 120 T-34, 16 SU-122 and 16 SU-85.
Body composition:
Hull control:
66th Mechanized Brigade
70th Tank Regiment
67th Mechanized Brigade
83rd Tank Regiment
68th Mechanized Brigade
139th Tank Regiment
116th Tank Brigade
Body parts:
998th separate communications battalion, from 11/12/1943
147th separate engineer battalion, from 11/12/1943
149th repair and restoration battalion, from 11/12/1943; 01/02/1945 reorganized into the 545th ATRB and 540th PARB
545th field tank repair base, from 01/02/1945
540th Field Automobile Repair Base, from 01/02/1945
164th separate chemical defense company, from 11/12/1943
613th separate motor transport company for the supply of fuels and lubricants, from 11/12/1943
Aviation communications link, from 11/12/1943
173rd field automobile bakery plant, from 11/12/1943
1828th field cash desk of the State Bank, from 11/12/1943
2655th military postal station, from 11/12/1943
Corps combat path:
Corps participated in? operations of the Great Patriotic War:
Dnieper-Carpathian strategic offensive operation (Liberation of Right Bank Ukraine)
Kirovograd frontal offensive operation
East Prussian strategic offensive operation
Mlawa-Elbing frontal offensive operation
East Pomeranian Strategic Offensive Operation
Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation.
Corps commanders:
Major General t/v Khasin Abram Matveevich [from 08/09/1943 to 01/10/1944];
Major General t/v Firsovich Alexander Nikolaevich [from 01/11/1944 until the end of the war]
Chiefs of Corps Staff:
Colonel Pokel (as of July 1943).
Deputy corps commander for combat units:
Deputy commander for political affairs:
Major General t/v Grishin Petr Grigorievich [from 01/24/1943 to 02/27/1943];
Heads of the political department (since June 1943 - also deputy commander for political affairs):
Colonel Taraday Moisey Nikolaevich [from 01/27/1943 to 11/13/1943];
Colonel Kropotin Alexey Kondratievich [from 12/07/1944 to 08/17/1945].
Combat and numerical strength:
as of 01/14/1945 (2nd BF) - 253 tanks, including: 185 M4A2, 5 T-34, 21 IS, 21 SU-85, 21 SU-76, 53 Scout, 52 BA-64, 19 ZSU M17. Lend-Lease tanks. P. 50.
The corps had the following awards and honorary titles: Award No. of order (decree) and date Brief description of military merits
Alexandriysky by Order of the Supreme High Command No. 47 of 12/06/1943
Order of the Red Banner for the liberation of Gdansk (1945).
Order of Kutuzov II degree
Information taken - address:
http://www.tankfront.ru/ussr/mk/mk08.html
68-shi madE rmak Pavel Ilyich - commander of the 1st motorized rifle battalion of the 68th mechanized brigade of the 8th mechanized corps of the 70th army of the 2nd Belorussian Front, captain.
Born on November 25, 1911 in the village of Tsaritsino, Kalachinsky district, Omsk region, into a peasant family. Ukrainian. Member of the CPSU(b)/CPSU since 1939. Graduated from high school. Since 1932 he lived in the village of Vishenki, Lokhvitsky district, Poltava region. He worked as a tractor driver at the Rakitnoye state farm, as a foreman of a tractor brigade.
In 1933 he was drafted into the Red Army. In 1937 he completed courses for command personnel in the city of Proskurov (Khmelnitsky). He took part in the liberation campaign of Soviet troops in Western Ukraine in 1939 and in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War in the active army. He fought on the Southwestern, 2nd Ukrainian and 2nd Belorussian fronts.
In January 1945, troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front conducted successful offensive operations to liberate Poland. In these battles, the 1st motorized rifle battalion of the 68th mechanized brigade of the 8th mechanized corps under the command of captain P.I. distinguished itself. Ermak.
On January 26, 1945, in cooperation with other units of the brigade, the battalion soldiers captured the southwestern outskirts of the city of Marienburg (Malbork) and created conditions for the 3rd motorized rifle battalion to cross the Nogat River. In this battle, captain P.I. Ermak was shell-shocked, but continued to command the unit.
With decisive actions, the soldiers cleared several blocks of the city from the enemy and held them until the main forces arrived. During the day, the battalion repelled several counterattacks by superior enemy forces.
On January 30 and 31, 1945, in battles on the outskirts of Proisishes-Holyand, his battalion blocked the highway and cut off the enemy’s retreat route. On the night of January 31, 1945, the Nazis renewed counterattacks three times, but all of them were repelled by P.I. Ermak.
On February 15, 1945, building on its success, the battalion broke into the outskirts of the city of Konitz (Choinice), a heavily fortified Nazi point, and captured the railway station. In battles for the city with superior enemy forces, courageous warriors repulsed several enemy counterattacks. At a critical moment, captain P.I. Ermak raised the fighters to attack. In a fierce battle, the brave commander died. He was buried in the city of Chojnice.
In just a month of fighting - from January 13 to February 15, 1945 - the battalion fought about 600 kilometers, liberated more than 70 settlements, destroyed over 2,800 and captured about 540 Nazis, disabled 12 tanks, 8 self-propelled guns, 44 guns of various calibers, 12 armored personnel carriers, 40 armored vehicles and vehicles, 27 motorcycles, 114 machine guns. The battalion's soldiers captured 6 tanks and self-propelled guns, 24 guns, 8 mortars, 36 aircraft, 453 railway cars, 22 military warehouses, and a large amount of weapons and ammunition.
U By the order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on June 29, 1945, Captain Pavel Ilyich Ermak was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command and the courage and heroism displayed.
Awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, and medals.
The Bezsala eight-year school in the Lokhvitsa district is named after the Hero, and his portrait is installed on the Alley of Heroes in the city of Lokhvitsa.
Combat path during the Great Patriotic War
Post-war history
The 68th Infantry Division received a new full name: 68th Motorized Rifle Novgorod Red Banner Division.
- Directorate of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division - military unit 97751, no. Saryozek village
- 186th Motorized Rifle Vyborg Red Banner Order of Lenin Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment - military unit 77800, Alma-Ata
- 188th motorized rifle Narva Order of Kutuzov 3rd degree regiment - military unit 74261, Panfilov
- 517th Motorized Rifle Regiment - military unit 18404, Taldy-Kurgan
- 301st Tank Regiment - military unit 12740, Saryozek
- 343rd Artillery Regiment - military unit 29108, Saryozek
- 1164th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment - military unit 64049, Saryozek
- 28th separate missile division - military unit 52501, Gvardeisky village (from May - Saryozek)
- 227th separate engineer battalion - military unit 89427, Saryozek
- 549th separate communications battalion - military unit 77035, Saryozek
- 106th separate reconnaissance battalion - military unit 48386, Taldy-Kurgan
- 4th separate repair and restoration battalion - military unit 59326, Saryozek
- 81st separate chemical defense battalion - military unit 69613, Saryozek
- 8th separate medical battalion - military unit 49415, Saryozek
- separate anti-tank artillery division - military unit 61251, Saryozek
- 52nd separate automobile battalion (later - 395th separate logistics battalion) - military unit 74852, Saryozek
- commandant company - military unit 44271, Saryozek
Ertaev Bakhytzhan was appointed division commander, who, after graduating from AVOKU, began his officer service in the same division as a platoon commander in the 186th motorized rifle regiment in 1973.
The 106th separate reconnaissance battalion was redeployed back to Taldykorgan.
In April 2003, the 46th motorized rifle brigade was reorganized into the 37th separate air assault brigade with reassignment to the Directorate of Airmobile Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which were initially created by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated July 6, 2000 (No. 417 “On the structure of the Armed Forces of the Republic Kazakhstan") - how Directorate of Mobile Forces.
November 12, 2003, according to the directive of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mobile Forces renamed to Airmobile Troops Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan ( AeMV).
The remaining regiments of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division were also reorganized into brigades.
With the final disbandment of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division, 5 brigades were created: 2 air assault, 2 mechanized and 1 artillery.
Later, one separate mechanized brigade created on the basis of the 301st tank regiment will be renamed a tank brigade.
Units of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division included in the Airmobile Forces
Units of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division included in the Ground Forces
Successor 68th Motorized Rifle Novgorod Red Banner Division should be considered 9th separate mechanized Narva Order of Kutuzov 3rd degree brigade(9th Mechanized Mechanized Brigade), as the only motorized rifle formation remaining after the disbandment of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division (in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan all motorized rifle brigades renamed to mechanized brigades).
Full name in the state language: 9-shi zheke Narva mekhanikalandyrylgan III darezheli Kutuzov order of brigadas
(9-shi zhmekhbr
).
Participation of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division in international actions
Combined units from the 68th Motorized Rifle Division took part in the Civil War in Tajikistan from February 1993 to February 2001.
According to the CIS Agreement of October 9, 1992 and the CIS Decision of January 22, 1993, was in Gorno-Badakhshan and carried out a combat mission to protect the Tajik-Afghan border during the crisis period after the outbreak of the Civil War in Tajikistan. Together with the Kazakh battalion, the Uzbek and Kyrgyz battalions solved similar problems in adjacent areas. Initially, in the fall of 1992, one was sent to Tajikistan air assault battalion without equipment in the amount of 300 soldiers from the 35th airborne brigade.
Since the spring of 1993, on the basis of the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated April 15, 1993 and the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated April 30, 1993, they formed Separate combined rifle battalion out of 3 rifle company without standard vehicles and armored vehicles from three law enforcement agencies. It was customary to send to Tajikistan combined rifle battalion for a period of 3 months - alternately one consolidated company from the 68th motorized rifle division from Saryozek or from the border troops department, one company from the 35th airborne brigade and one company from operational regiment of internal troops from Shymkent.
Since July 1994 consolidated company from the 68th Motorized Rifle Division participated in sending consolidated units to Tajikistan on an ongoing basis, since the 35th Specialized Brigade was released by the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan from the task of recruiting and sending its consolidated units to Tajikistan.
The combat mission of the Kazakh military in Tajikistan was to strengthen checkpoints and outposts of the Russian border detachment in the village. Kalai-Khumb village. There, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan suffered their first and so far the heaviest losses in their entire history as a result of one battle. April 7, 1995 in the Pshikhavrsky gorge of the Pamirs. A company of internal troops was ambushed during the march and had an unequal battle with the enemy. 17 people were killed and another 33 soldiers were injured. All during his stay in Tajikistan, during the hostilities combined Kazakhstan battalion Lost 54 soldiers killed and missing.
Personnel who served in the 68th Motorized Rifle Division
- Aslanyan Alexander Stepanovich - Major General of the USSR Armed Forces. In 1968 - commander of the 106th separate reconnaissance battalion. From to 1971 - chief of staff of the regiment, deputy commander of the 188th motorized rifle regiment.
- Shornikov Nikolai Anatolyevich - senior lieutenant. Hero of the Soviet Union - the title was awarded posthumously on October 21, 1980. Deputy for political affairs of the commander of the 1st motorized rifle company of the 186th motorized rifle regiment.
27th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Sevastopol Red Banner Brigade named after. 60th anniversary of the USSR(military unit 61899) was created on 06/01/1983 in the Moscow Military District (Moscow, Teply Stan district) on the basis of the 404th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Division (during the war years - 6th Guards Rifle of the 2nd Guards rifle division, in 1953-1957 - 75th Guards Mechanized Division of the 23rd Guards Mechanized Division of the 2nd Formation). From June 1990 to August 1991, it was included in the border troops as a special forces brigade. Its transfers from one department to another did not end there. On November 1, 1993, the brigade was expelled from the Ground Forces and included in the Airborne Forces, and on December 15, 1996, everything returned “to normal.”
66th Separate Motorized Rifle Vyborg Order of Lenin Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Brigade(military unit 93992) was created on 03/01/1980 as part of the 40th Army in Afghanistan (Jalalabad) on the basis of the 186th motorized rifle Vyborg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky regiment of the 68th motorized rifle division (during the war - 1236th rifle regiment of the 372nd rifle division). It was disbanded in the spring of 1989 after the withdrawal from Afghanistan - it was for the battles on its territory that on 05/04/1985 the brigade was awarded the Order of Lenin.
68th separate motorized rifle (mountain) brigade(military unit 36806) was created in 1981 in Osh (Kyrgyzstan) on the basis of some units of the 8th Guards Motorized Rifle Division. Its staff included 3,800 people, but, like most units of the Soviet Army, it was maintained with a reduced staff of 1,800 troops, and 100% of them by 1989 had passed through Afghanistan. It consisted of 2 motorized rifle battalions on BMP-1, reinforced by two batteries of Nona self-propelled guns (6 units each); 2 mountain motorized rifle battalions on GA3-66, reinforced by sections of AGS-17 grenade launchers, flamethrowers, mortars and anti-tank weapons; self-propelled artillery division (18 Gvozdika self-propelled guns); mortar battery (6 120 mm mortars); anti-aircraft missile battery (4 Strela-10 air defense systems and 4 ZSU-23-4 Shilka); cavalry squadron (stated - 510 horses, available - 170, and, in addition, - 8 mine-detecting dogs); pack and transport company (225 horses and mules) and other support units. It was partially staffed by recruits who had primary skills in mountaineering training, and the instructors were mountaineering officers and athletes from the 1st category and above. (Moreover, the same 1st category of mountaineer is assigned to almost all soldiers and sergeants at the end of their service.) Covered the border with China in the Osh direction. In 1992 it was transferred to Kyrgyzstan, where it received the name “1st Mountain Motorized Rifle Brigade”. With its transfer, Russia lost the mountain troops that later became so necessary for it in the North Caucasus.
The 70th separate guards motorized rifle twice Red Banner Order of Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky brigade (military unit 71176) was created on 03/01/1980 as part of the 40th Army in Afghanistan (Kandahar) on the basis of the 373rd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 5th Guards Motorized Rifle Division (during the war years - 12th Guards Mechanized Brigade of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps, from 06/10/1946 to 06/25/1957 - 12th Guards Mechanized Brigade of the 5th Guards Mechanized Division). Disbanded in the spring of 1989 after the withdrawal from Afghanistan - it was for fighting on its territory that on 05/04/1985 it was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner.
Along with tank and motorized rifle brigades, numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 22, 24, 67 were occupied by GRU special forces brigades ( see chap. 7), and numbers 11, 13, 21, 23, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 56, 57, 58, 83, 128, 130 - air assault brigades ( see chap. 6).
Already in the Russian Army in the early 1990s. the creation of brigades became widespread (almost all of them were formed on the basis of divisions or regiments that had ceased to exist), but in the overwhelming majority they did not exist for long, being subject to disbandment or transformation into BHVT - this is how the following separate motorized rifle brigades were created:
– 18th – based on the 107th motorized rifle division;
– 20th – based on the 111th motorized rifle division;
– 30th – based on the 16th motorized rifle division;
– 62nd – based on the 54th motorized rifle division;
– 74th Guards – based on the 94th Guards Motorized Rifle Division;
– 131st – based on the 9th motorized rifle division;
– 132nd – based on the 156th motorized rifle division;
– 135th – based on the 201st motorized rifle regiment of the 19th motorized rifle division;
– 136th – based on the 428th motorized rifle regiment of the 9th motorized rifle division;
– 164th – based on the 242nd motorized rifle division;
– 165th – based on the 485th separate motorized rifle regiment;
– 166th Guards – based on the 6th Guards Motorized Rifle Division;
– 167th – based on the 78th training motorized rifle division;
– 168th – based on the 150th training motorized rifle division;
– 169th – based on the 12th motorized rifle division;
– 170th – based on the 52nd motorized rifle division;
– 171st – based on the 110th motorized rifle division;
– 172nd – based on the 79th motorized rifle division,
– 173rd – based on the 99th motorized rifle division;
– 174th – based on the 192nd motorized rifle division;
– 176th – based on the 272nd motorized rifle division;
– 177th – based on the 73rd motorized rifle division;
– 178th – based on the 99th motorized rifle division;
– 179th – based on the 78th training motorized rifle division,
– 180th – based on the 21st motorized rifle division.
Appendix 4.6. The main weapons and military equipment of motorized rifle divisions in the late 1980s.
| Division number | Tanks by type | Armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles by type | Self-propelled guns, guns, mortars and MLRS | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | T-54 | T-55 | T-62 (PT-76) | T-64 | T-72 | T-80 | Total | BTR-60 | BTR-70 | BTR-80 | MT-LB | BMP-1 | BMP-2 | BRM-1K | Total | 2S1 | 2S3 (2S9) | D-30 | 2A65 (2B16) | PM-38 | 2S12 | BM-21 | BM-27 | |
| 1st Guards 1 | 66 | - | - | - | - | 66 | - | 51 | - | - | - | - | - | 36 | 12 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | - |
| 2nd Guards 2 | 179 | - | - | - | 73 | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||